How to make the most of Christmas weekend in the Vail Valley

Christmas services

This weekend, Christmas Eve is on Sunday and Christmas Day on Monday. Area houses of worship like Vail Interfaith Chapel, the Chapel at Beaver Creek and the Edwards Interfaith Chapel will all be busy with services.

We have several denominations in our valley, so whether you are looking for a Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist, Catholic, Baptist or other congregation, a service can be found by searching the ChurchAngel.com website by state and then put in the town you’re looking for. Take a look at the church’s website for information on their schedule and location.

Special services include a Midnight Mass held at the Chapel at Beaver Creek on Christmas Eve. If you have kids who maybe can’t stay up that late, check out the Children’s Christmas Pageant Service on Christmas Eve day at 1:30 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration at the Edwards Interfaith Chapel.

Services move to larger locations during Christmas, so there will be folks gathering at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek and at area hotel ballrooms. Keep in mind that parking may be tight during the day at the Vail and Beaver Creek parking garages, so allow extra time to find parking.

Want a cowboy Christmas? Mountain Life Calvary Chapel’s Christmas Eve at the Ranch brings you to 4 Eagle Ranch outside of Wolcott. Service times are at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. Come early or stay late and check out the sleigh rides and the horses and cattle and other critters you may be able to spot out on the range.

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Vail events

On Friday, bring the whole family out and move and groove to the Vail Holidays Silent Disco. Grab your free headphones at the Sunbird Playground Park in Lionshead on Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dance to the beat your headphones channel is set on and have fun guessing who is also dancing to the tunes your headphones are playing. Stay warm and have fun at this free event.

Vail Holidays continues Saturday with Smile with Santa at Kringle Crossing from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Old Saint Nick will be at the International Bridge in the new Kringle Crossing, which looks like the North Pole, so make sure to bring a camera for wonderful photo opportunities. At Smile with Santa, they can print out a picture of you with Santa or transfer it to your smartphone, too.

After weeks of “mini” ice skating shows at the outdoor rinks in Lionshead and Vail Village, this weekend finally brings us a full ice skating show inside Dobson Arena on Friday and Saturday nights. The Vail Skating Festival’s Ice Spectacular features two nights of some of the best skaters out on the rink today including headliner Nathan Chen. The Olympic gold medalist performed last year in only one show in Vail, which sold out three weeks before the event.

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Joining Nathan Chen will be fellow Olympic medalists Karen Chen and Jason Brown. There are also Team USA athletes and World Team members skating in the performances this year.

Each show will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and will last for 90 minutes. Nathan Chen and Karen Chen and Jason Brown will perform solos in the first and second half of the show. There will be an 18-minute intermission to resurface the ice for the safety of the skaters. The second half’s theme is “Artists that Impacted the Video World.” The second half is 35 minutes long with no announcements, the show will just go from skater to skater building up to Nathan Chen and then a finale with all the skaters.

The Dobson Arena provides an intimate opportunity to see this caliber of skaters. There are even seats on the ice, so you can’t get any closer to the action. But get your tickets now as these shows will probably sell out. For more information go to VailSkateFest.com and for skater bios and show order, visit VailIceShow.com.

Holiday hotel happenings

‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’

The Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa in Avon is excited to once again host its annual Christmas Eve screening of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the classic holiday film by Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz. Can’t you just hear the song, “Skating,” by Vince Guaraldi? That 1965 film captured the ears and hearts of so many, it is a timeless classic.

The movie is free and open to the public and will start at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday in The Westin Riverfront lobby. Sit back and enjoy bites and drinks from The Lookout. Grab a glass of wine, a cold Colorado microbrew or treat yourself to a fancy hand-crafted cocktail. Hungry after skiing? Fill up with hearty soups, salads, sandwiches and flatbreads. 

Nordic Nights

The Hythe Vail has transformed one of their conference rooms into a cozy place to gather with friends and family and enjoy nibbles, live music and hand-crafted cocktails. It’s called Nordic Nights and this Norse-themed pop-up bar will be a fun place to try Ullr-inspired cocktails. In Norse mythology, Ullr is the Norse god of winter who celebrates snow, skating and skiing. Try the Ullr Hot Chocolate with Mile High fireside Bourbon or the Northern Lights white margarita complete with Midori and Blue Curaçao drizzle to give it a unique color. Look for special appetizers each day of the week like the chicken quesadilla cones and the ahi tuna ceviche. A full bar and appetizer menu is available for purchase and this pop-up will be available from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly through Jan. 4 and live music will start at 7 p.m.

Right next door to Nordic Nights will be a pop-up movie theater for Kids Movie Nights featuring holiday classics, so parents can enjoy a cocktail and their kids can watch a holiday movie down the hall. There will also be Christmas carolers strolling throughout the resort on Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m. singing favorite holiday tunes.

Ice carving demos and display

The Arrabelle and Vail Square will feature ice carving demos and a display. From December 22 through January 5 the ice sculptures will surround the east-facing side of the Tavern restaurant and the Vail Square lobby entrance to the hotel. Watch for demonstrations being held around 2:30 p.m. Bring the camera to get some Instagram-worthy shots of the ice art.

Holiday Swing at the Vilar

Get into the holiday spirit with the sounds of Kat Edmonson as she performs swingin’ Yule-tide favorites such as “Jingle Bell Rock,” “O Christmas Tree” and “Let It Snow.” Edmonson released her sixth studio album, “Holiday Swingin’! A Kat Edmonson Christmas Vol. 1” in November of 2021 and it made the New York Times’ list of “13 Albums that Revisit (and Redefine) Holiday Classics.” Edmonson said she was inspired by her favorite holiday sounds from the 1950s and 1960s. Even though the singer-song writer is only 40, she sings as an old soul and takes you back to a different era.

The Houston native played in the clubs of Austin earlier in her career and she has toured with Lyle Lovett, Chris Isaak and Shawn Colvin. She has also been featured on “Austin City Limits,” “Tiny Desk Concerts,” “A Prairie Home Companion” and “The Late Show.”

The concert will be at 7 p.m. at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek. Reserved seating starts at $45 and there is special pricing for children at $25 for those 12 years under. This show also qualifies for the Vilar Performing Arts Center’s Ticket 4-Pack where you can save some money and get four tickets for $175. For more information, go to VilarPAC.org.

Bar parties

Are you ready to party this holiday season? Some bars are bringing in special acts over the busy weekend. 40 oz. to Freedom is back in the valley to play one night at Agave in Avon on Saturday at 10 p.m. 40 oz. to Freedom is a Sublime Tribute Band and even won the 2010 San Diego Music Award for Best Tribute Artist. Doors open at 9 p.m. and tickets are available by going to AgaveAvon.com.

On Friday, check out the new Spanish tapas bar and restaurant, Aritza. This is housed where The Met used to be located in Beaver Creek Village, just under the Dusty Boot. Aritza will be welcoming authentic Flamenco-style dance to the eatery and wine bar. Sip on Spanish wines and taste Basque cuisine while seeing a traditional tablao show with music to accompany the mood.  

Also on Friday, dance the night away to HAASY at The Rabbit Hole at Chasing Rabbits. This new nightclub opened up last winter and features a chic and modern backdrop to your evening fun. Come early and dine in one of the restaurants and then be prepared to move to the beat from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m. Get tickets on EventBrite.

Holiday Cookies and Canvas

Need an activity to occupy your house guests while you finish prepping your Christmas Eve Dinner? Send everyone to Holiday Cookies and Canvas at Alpine Arts Center in the Riverwalk at Edwards. Paint supplies, instruction and some cookies (and cocktails if you want to pay for those separately) will be available to anyone of any sort of art ability. The event goes from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and this week’s subject with be a snowy scene. It’s amazing to see a blank canvas turn into a work of art and it’s fun to see how different each person’s art looks even though you are all painting the same subject. The cost is $45 per person and to register, go to AlpineArtsCenter.org.